Outings of various types are among the most universal off-hour pursuits of Americans and those of means in other parts of the world. Outings can be of the rugged type, climbing a mountain trail or a desert day hike, or of the more common, civilized and urban type such as a day at the beach or park, or a night at a concert in a sports arena or in the open air.
One thing that such outings have in common, and which pertains to the instant invention, is the fact that they are away from the individual's or family's car and require the transport of certain paraphernalia on foot. A beach outing is a typical example, and a good example, because of the relatively great amount of "stuff" that must be carried from the car to the beach on foot. For a typical family with two adults and a little kid or two, the supplies and equipment would generally include at least two folding chairs, towels, surf toys, plastic sand buckets and shovels, snack foods and lots of cold beverages.
The cold beverages are the most compact and weighty of the supplies, and must be kept cold, so typically a large cooler is found among the paraphernalia. If it is the type of cooler that has two handles, whoever carries it can carry little else, and may well have a hernia by the time he gets to the beach and have to leave early for medical help. The newer suitcase-type coolers are somewhat easier to carry, requiring, as they do, the use of only one hand. Nevertheless, carrying one or more of this type of cooler several blocks to the beach, in conjunction with all of the other equipment, is a prospect that casts a pall over the otherwise bright prospect of going to the beach or on a similar outing.
There is a need for a carrying container that takes advantage of the generally standardized size and shape of cold beverage containers in order to make them more easily transportable on outings. Because the favorite kind of beverage, at least in this country, is either soda pop or beer sold in a 12-ounce can, beverage supplies are thus more or less standard and capable of being accomodated by means of a carrier specifically designed to accomodate these cans and keep them cold. Beverages are generally only one of numerous supply items needed on an outing. They are often the heaviest and the densest, and the requirement that they be kept cool often makes them bulky and awkward, so that a beverage carrying container that would in essence eliminate all beverage carrying problems would be a major asset to picnikers and the like.